A major shift in focus related to climate change action, placed the health issues of individuals, countries and systems in a central position at the COP28 conference in Dubai. The decision is already being looked forward to as a game changer in the international efforts to save the world from the environmental disaster that has already begun to impact, especially in island states below sea level.
What makes the decision so important is the real commitment, beyond empty rhetorical chatter, made by 120 countries, mainly, a US$300 million input by the Global Fund to prepare health systems for the challenges of diseases and epidemics; and a US$100 million grant by the Rockefeller Foundation to scale-up the solutions to be pursued to counter the climate health crises that are already being experienced.
A contribution of £54 million from the United Kingdom government has also been made.
The funding will be directed at climate-related health systems; to raising awareness of the impact of climate change on health; and to accelerating global financial support for climate adaptation in countries where climate change is already a reality, according to commitments made at COP28.
These already-made commitments are considered different and meaningful compared to the well-known practices of big speeches about understanding the need for change and commitment to whatever the subjects being discussed are. However, when leaders and delegates return home, all the commitments made in good faith are forgotten.
This time, commentators are noting that countries and institutions have already confirmed funding to fixing and warding-off the real health challenges being posed by the increase of noxious gasses in the only environment in which man has so far deemed liveable.
Of significance too, is how the funding committed is to be used and by which agencies. Local organisations in countries and social innovators on the frontlines of the climate disaster that are working to achieve solutions will be the beneficiaries.
So too, funding will go to joint public/private agencies committed to strengthening resilience against the health implications of climate change. Africa, South America, India and countries in need of updated health systems are focus areas of the efforts. The intention is to protect people against the already developing health challenges being brought about by the changes in climate: floods, fires, the loss of living space, materials and more.
It must, however, be admitted that the funding so far committed is small, and may even be considered insignificant to meet populations already being affected by climate change. However, the point needs to be continuously made, that there is more financial ballast to this set of pledges and contributions, small as they may be, compared to the pledges of tens of billions made at international conferences, including those articulated at previous COP conferences, that remain in the never, never land of promises.
“The reality is that we have come this far not just to talk about climate and health, but about the consequences of water and heat and all that is involved in health care,” stated Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, at the conference, acknowledging the need for meaningful health support for developing countries with inadequate health systems.